Moroccan Striker Walid Cheddira Earns First National Team Call-Up for World Cup Prep Matches

Walid Cheddira’s performances have seduced Walid Regragui, who has called him up for the first time to the national team. The 24-year-old player has scored 4 goals and provided 3 assists in 5 matches played with his club Bari. With the Atlas Lions, he will defend the Moroccan flag as part of the two matches that Morocco will play in preparation for the next World Cup, one against Chile on September 23 in Barcelona, then the second against Paraguay four days later in Seville.

Walid Cheddira expresses his happiness to join the Atlas Lions squad. "I’m in a team that suits me well, I’ve had a very good start to the season and I hope to keep it up. My parents are from Beni Mellal and I’m very happy and very proud of the call-up to the national team [...] I thank the national coach for his trust and I hope it will lead to a great story," said Walid Cheddira to Arryadia.

He is convinced that together, the Atlas Lions will be able to achieve great performances. "I watched a lot of matches of the national team. We have a very good team and I think we can achieve great things with the new coach," added the new striker of the Moroccan team. With his skills, he could do better than the usual starter, Youssef En-Nesyri, whose form has declined since last year.